Held at Helsinki City Hall on November 4, Career Day brings together Swedish-language integration services, job opportunities, and job seekers eager to work in Swedish. The event is organized by Helsingfors Arbis, Luckan Integration, Prakticum Vocational Institute, Arcada University of Applied Sciences, and Helsinki Employment Services.
“Career day is an excellent networking opportunity, offering the chance to sharpen your job search and receive useful advice. The job search workshop offers practical support” says Jens-Peter Cavonius, planner with Helsinki Employment Services.
Opportunities are available for Swedish speakers, with positions in Swedish-language schools, senior services, and organizations. Helsinki’s education and social, health, and rescue services will be present, as well as companies like Seure, Barona, Startup Refugees, Workfinder, and Folkhälsan.
The afternoon begins with a panel discussion on how to find work in Finland. Participants will also explore how Swedish-speaking employees can be welcomed into the workplace and how employers can create a multilingual environment that supports integration.
“There is a real need for an event like this. Swedish-speaking jobs are limited to certain sectors, so it makes sense to bring job seekers and employers together,” says Cavonius.
Swedish as an Equal Language of Integration Alongside Finnish
Swedish is an official language alongside Finnish, yet its role in integration is often overlooked. Many services are available in Swedish, and for some immigrants, it may feel natural to integrate in Swedish.
“Immigrants have many reasons to choose Swedish as their integration language. They may pursue careers where Swedish is used, have a Swedish-speaking spouse and children, or believe Swedish will be beneficial in their international career,” Cavonius explains.
People who wish to integrate have the right to do so in either Finnish or Swedish. Employment services assess each person’s situation, after which a shared integration plan is created, and the job seeker is guided toward appropriate services.
Group Mentoring with a Goal of Finding Work or Study Opportunities
The Swedish Information and Culture Center Luckan supports the integration of Swedish-speaking immigrants to Finland. Their latest integration project is a group mentoring program called JobBuddies.
“We are currently seeking both mentors and mentees in the IT and care sectors. We interview enthusiastic participants and form two groups based on shared interests. Later, we’ll offer mentoring for other fields as well,” says team leader Veronica Hertzberg from Luckan.
The mentoring program runs for six months, with groups meeting around twice a month. The goal is to help mentees find a job or study opportunity. The JobBuddies project, funded by the European Social Fund, will continue until 2027.
Career Day Info
- Monday, November 4, from 14:00 to 17:00 at Helsinki City Hall, Pohjoisesplanadi 11–13
- Event languages are Swedish and English
- Organized by Helsingfors Arbis, Luckan Integration, Yrkesinstitutet Prakticum, Yrkeshögskolan Arcada, and Helsinki Employment Services
- Participating to the event areemployment services, Fruntimmersföreningen i Helsingfors r.f., Remmi, Helsinki Employment Services, University of Helsinki, SIMHE services, and Arffman among others
